In principle there needn't be any disallowed character in a filename. Unixy systems disallow "/" (while Windows, being a shit, disallows a host of characters and imposes a maximum pathname length), as it's the directory separator, but I don't see any reason why it couldn't be escaped.
why we couldn't make a device that accepts folder names with a slash or ampersand in them
Because you need some characters to differentiate file and folder names from path names. It doesn't have to be slashes and ampersands, but that's what's used.
And fret not, this whole site, comments included, is probably only about 10MB.
You could encode the special characters, but then they'd look funny on systems that didn't understand the convention. From a gadget maker's perspective, it's probably better to deal with mild complaints like Fontana's than with angry customers wondering why you're diddling with their files.
Fundamentally cooler to me is booting from a USB drive. Just the idea of being able to abstract your computer to the software and then being able to carry it around on your keychain is amazing. I'm not sure how useful it is, but it's amazing.
Aside from speed loss, what would be the real problems with running your OS and applications off of a flash drive rather than an HD? I'd think this would mean, for example, that you could travel with the sure knowledge that you could run the environment and applications you wanted to run anywhere that you could locate a std. PC setup. Which, I assume, means anywhere.
Well, you couldn't use swap space on a flash drive; there's a limited number of read/writes they can perform. According to this, anyway. But see here, boy, for a dissenting view.
OK, but as RAM installations increase, wouldn't this problem decrease? Also, I remain unclear about why, assuming that the computer's HD has a file system readable by the USB drive's OS, you couldn't assign the free space on the HD as the swap space.
At a minimum, you remain substantially k3wler than me (even with the age adjustment). It's so sad, but things like this (OSs on a thumb drive) make me proud to be an American. And I'm not even sure we're the ones doing it.
One of the features of an OS is that it provides a "standard" interface for applicaitons to use the hardware devices.
You cannot assume that OSless hardware will be standard. So unless you force a "standard" PC hardware image (like, say, the XBox) it would be very tricky for an OS writer to guarantee that the OS will run everything on whatever hardware you put it on.
And, where is the incentive to MS? They want to sell a license for every piece of hardware, not every user.
The problem is that businesses don't want to depend on something "unsupported," which leaves you with gamers as the paying customer base. All the college users and Chinese users don't count as paying customers because they usually don't, ummm, pay.
Gamers need speed. If you add some sort of standardized hardware interface layer of code so Linux can run seamlessly on your hardware it will slow it down. Meanwhile Microsoft twists the arms or the hardware providers to write directx drivers for Windows and the games fly.
Non-standardized hardware makes this whole frustrating situation possible.
Gamers don't use Linux; you'd have to run all your games under WINE.
What you describe is precisely why there are certain distributions of Linux which make it their business to support what they put out and control the software they provide. E.g. Red Hat. I doubt many businesses run gentoo.
I think we are agreeing. There is no incentive for hardware providers to make standardized hardware so you can carry your OS and apps around with you.
But things already are pretty well standardized enough for this to work. Sure, 3D graphics cards and spatial audio and other weird stuff isn't standardized, but we're at the point where you can get XGA and Soundblaster emulation out of just about anything. There'll always be outliers, but Knoppix boots on 90+% of the systems out there. For games it's not practical, but for everyday computer use I do think you could now reasonably pack up and carry your whole OS with you.
It's just that unless you have very specific needs, there isn't much reason to.
In principle there needn't be any disallowed character in a filename. Unixy systems disallow "/" (while Windows, being a shit, disallows a host of characters and imposes a maximum pathname length), as it's the directory separator, but I don't see any reason why it couldn't be escaped.
I take it you're a mac user?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:13 PM
why we couldn't make a device that accepts folder names with a slash or ampersand in them
Because you need some characters to differentiate file and folder names from path names. It doesn't have to be slashes and ampersands, but that's what's used.
And fret not, this whole site, comments included, is probably only about 10MB.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:13 PM
You could encode the special characters, but then they'd look funny on systems that didn't understand the convention. From a gadget maker's perspective, it's probably better to deal with mild complaints like Fontana's than with angry customers wondering why you're diddling with their files.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:20 PM
I was wrong, it's 19MB.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:24 PM
I for one would prefer that my folders get renamed in some recognizable fashion; I was irked because I had to keep renaming and recopying.
Posted by FL | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:30 PM
Fundamentally cooler to me is booting from a USB drive. Just the idea of being able to abstract your computer to the software and then being able to carry it around on your keychain is amazing. I'm not sure how useful it is, but it's amazing.
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:32 PM
Yeah! Just like booting from a floppy!
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:33 PM
You forgot also.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:38 PM
Ben, why must you be such a little
*reloads*
Damn.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:39 PM
You can't say it enough though.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:40 PM
Ben:
Aside from speed loss, what would be the real problems with running your OS and applications off of a flash drive rather than an HD? I'd think this would mean, for example, that you could travel with the sure knowledge that you could run the environment and applications you wanted to run anywhere that you could locate a std. PC setup. Which, I assume, means anywhere.
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:46 PM
Well, you couldn't use swap space on a flash drive; there's a limited number of read/writes they can perform. According to this, anyway. But see here, boy, for a dissenting view.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 2:51 PM
OK, but as RAM installations increase, wouldn't this problem decrease? Also, I remain unclear about why, assuming that the computer's HD has a file system readable by the USB drive's OS, you couldn't assign the free space on the HD as the swap space.
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 3:36 PM
Oh, you could.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 3:40 PM
in fact, there are distros of knoppix designed to do exactly that (or to just minimize use of the swap volume). See here.
Posted by tom | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 5:16 PM
Ben, tom is now officially cooler than you. Or perhaps kewler than you. Feel shame.
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 6:57 PM
I am suitably ashamed. Can I at least be k3wl?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 7:01 PM
At a minimum, you remain substantially k3wler than me (even with the age adjustment). It's so sad, but things like this (OSs on a thumb drive) make me proud to be an American. And I'm not even sure we're the ones doing it.
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 7:05 PM
But we're buying 'em, and that's gotta count for something!
Posted by Kriston | Link to this comment | 07- 6-05 10:06 PM
So the cool/uncool hierarchy is now determined by your ability to answer obscure technical questions? Jesus. Where were you guys in high school?
Posted by tom | Link to this comment | 07- 7-05 6:38 AM
One of the features of an OS is that it provides a "standard" interface for applicaitons to use the hardware devices.
You cannot assume that OSless hardware will be standard. So unless you force a "standard" PC hardware image (like, say, the XBox) it would be very tricky for an OS writer to guarantee that the OS will run everything on whatever hardware you put it on.
And, where is the incentive to MS? They want to sell a license for every piece of hardware, not every user.
Posted by Tripp | Link to this comment | 07- 7-05 7:36 AM
Yah, but those Linux freaks just give it away.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07- 7-05 7:38 AM
Yah, but those Linux freaks just give it away.
The problem is that businesses don't want to depend on something "unsupported," which leaves you with gamers as the paying customer base. All the college users and Chinese users don't count as paying customers because they usually don't, ummm, pay.
Gamers need speed. If you add some sort of standardized hardware interface layer of code so Linux can run seamlessly on your hardware it will slow it down. Meanwhile Microsoft twists the arms or the hardware providers to write directx drivers for Windows and the games fly.
Non-standardized hardware makes this whole frustrating situation possible.
Posted by Tripp | Link to this comment | 07- 7-05 7:47 AM
Gamers don't use Linux; you'd have to run all your games under WINE.
What you describe is precisely why there are certain distributions of Linux which make it their business to support what they put out and control the software they provide. E.g. Red Hat. I doubt many businesses run gentoo.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07- 7-05 8:18 AM
ben,
I think we are agreeing. There is no incentive for hardware providers to make standardized hardware so you can carry your OS and apps around with you.
They can't differentiate their products except by price and reliability and standardization costs more.
Posted by Tripp | Link to this comment | 07- 7-05 9:14 AM
I think we are agreeing. There is no incentive for hardware providers to make standardized hardware so you can carry your OS and apps around with you.
But things already are pretty well standardized enough for this to work. Sure, 3D graphics cards and spatial audio and other weird stuff isn't standardized, but we're at the point where you can get XGA and Soundblaster emulation out of just about anything. There'll always be outliers, but Knoppix boots on 90+% of the systems out there. For games it's not practical, but for everyday computer use I do think you could now reasonably pack up and carry your whole OS with you.
It's just that unless you have very specific needs, there isn't much reason to.
Posted by tom | Link to this comment | 07- 7-05 11:22 AM